For my third Summer Reading Challenge book, I read The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky. This is the kind of book I wish I had read before watching the movie because I think the experience is more magical when you first read the novel and then watch the film adaptation. Nevertheless that didn’t happen and I can say that I enjoyed both of them (the book and the movie). I thought the movie was very true to the book, and it couldn’t be other way since Chbosky, the author of the book, was also the screenwriter and director of the movie. Also the cast, I believe, was incredible, especially because the main female character is played by Emma Watson!!!

Regarding the book, the thing I liked the most was that is written as a diary. Through Charlie’s diary entries, we get to know about his life as a high-school student, his fears, his feelings, his relationship with his family and with his best friends Patrik and Sam, his thoughts about important and relevant topics, his love for books, literature, and music, his admiration for his Literature professor, his first falling in love, his discovery of adolescence, and his deepest secrets that hide traumatic experiences from his childhood.

Overall I think it was a great reading and since it was written as a diary, the reading just flowed, and that is what I like the most about diaries. When it is a diary, you submerge into the characters life. I think it becomes a much personal experience, and the connection with the character is even better. I have read other diary books like Anne Frank’s Diary, Doris Lessing’s The Golden Notebook, Bram Stoker’s Dracula, and of course Chbosky’s The Perks of Being a Wallflower, and I have enjoyed all of them, so I was wondering if you knew any other diary books that you would recommend.

I would recommend the Dear America Series. The reason for this recommendation is that they are fun to read and talks about history. So not only do you have a great book to read you also learn something about history. You can also realize that no matter what year you are living in and how times change some things stay the same. For instance learning to love yourself no matter what. For instance in the book I read this summer called ""Color Me Dark" The Diary of Nellie Lee Love, The Migration North" both of the girls in that story had to learn its ok to be who you are. This is the same as people today we have to learn that we are all beautiful no matter who we are or what type of religion we practice.

I just recently read "The Princess Diarist" by Carrie Fisher (also known as Princess Leia from Star Wars). This book is also written in the diary fashion along with a biography of sorts. This book shows the reader a vivid picture of a very young lady just starting in her acting career with some "Life Changing" experiences. Without giving away the book, I found myself feeling torn with my own experiences and ones Carrie Fisher experienced. I also feel so bad for her. I can't begin to imagine her upbringing and experiences she was forced into by her well known "Hollywood Star" mother Debby Renolds and her father Eddy Fisher. Carrie and her brother Todd were forced to endure a horribly public scandal with their father having an affair with Elizabeth Taylor (also a Hollywood star) and eventually leaving Debbie to marry Elizabeth. The confusion and public humiliation must have been absolutely horrible for Carrie and Todd. They both were trying so hard to grow up and move on but it never really leaves you... Well , with that said, the book is a 'quick read' and a little chaotic at points but I'm glad I read it.

It is said that diary books create one of the strongest connections between readers and narrators. By reading journal entries, it seems as if you are reading the innermost secrets and thoughts of the diarist. Interestingly enough, for me it is quite the opposite. Diary style books are the second hardest format for me to read, first one being screenplays. Something about it just takes me out of the story, especially if the entries are quite short.

I think that is the main reason it was hard for me to get into both diary style books that I have read, Witch Child and The Diary of a Young Girl (also known as Anne Frank's Diary). I quite liked the latter's passages, because Anne Frank was really thorough in her descriptions, which is unusual for a girl of her age (13 at the start), especially at the beginning, when she was writing the journal for herself. It was only later, in 1944, that she also began writing an account of her people for others.

Witch Child is about Mary Newbury, a girl accused of witchcraft in 17th century. The book consists of entries written by Mary about her voyage to New World after her grandmother is hanged for being a witch, where she has to face new threats and old, when she tries to turn a new leaf in a colony. I think I liked the diary style in this book more than with Anne Frank. While the entries were shorter, I had a feeling the writing just flew a little bit better, though it is hardly fair to compare a real dairy with a fictional one.

Surprisingly enough, I enjoyed both books, and while I am 90% certain you already read Anne Frank's diary, I heartily recommend Witch Child to anyone who is fascinated with Salem, witch trials or just history.